


Your Fantasy Was Ruined by Reality; It’s Time For You To Move On

by kpopismydrug



Series: Moving On [1]
Category: Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fatherhood, M/M, close enough, hot single father au?, i barely remember this, old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 03:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3712726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kpopismydrug/pseuds/kpopismydrug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lee Donghae’s life has already experienced a huge change, and now he’s about to experience a new one that will come to destroy everything he’s ever thought or believed in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Your Fantasy Was Ruined by Reality; It’s Time For You To Move On

**Author's Note:**

> Old fic, posting over here in case I ever lose my files/LJ decides to delete stuff. Too lazy to edit it again....and I barely remember writing this years ago...so let's reread it myself.
> 
> Also, I changed the series name. What the hell was I thinking when I first posted it, 'Let’s Leave the Past Behind and Focus on Our Future Together'? That name is far too long, we can all agree on that.....Then again, the titles are long too. What the hell were you thinking past self????
> 
> *for curiosity sake, looks up the post date on LJ and almost has a heart attack* THIS FIC WAS MADE IN 2012???

 

 

 

Something soft was prodding the tip of his nose, causing him to swot it away as he moved his head into a more comfy position on top of his arms. The sound of slippers lightly tapping on the wooden floor moved around him, following to way where his head now lay, and another prod to his nose came again, but harder this time.

 

Donghae’s closed eyes scrunched tightly as he groaned with annoyance, and the prod to his nose became a sharp flick that had him yelping in pain.

 

His eyes flew open to see his four-year old daughter, Hana, pointing to the kitchen counter.

 

“The toast is burning, daddy.” She sweetly informed him as she continued to rub sleepily at one of her eyes, and his nose only then registered the smell of burning.

 

The sound of the chair he had been sitting on masked the sound of his colourful curse as he rushed to remove the ruined slices of bread from the toaster.

 

Donghae blew on his burned fingers as he stared at the blackened slices on the small pink plate and let out a tired sigh as his daughter tugged on his black sweat pants.

 

He glanced down apologetically for ruining her breakfast and let out a weak laugh at seeing her hold the bottle of milk that she’d gotten from the refrigerator.

 

“Let’s try this again, shall we?” he joked as he ruffled her short brown hair as he accepted the milk and began to make her cereal for her breakfast instead.

 

Once he made sure that she was content with her chocolate star shaped cereal, he left her so that he could quickly change and wash his face. Keeping an eye on his watch, Donghae gathered the clothes he set out last night for Hana, set them inside the bathroom, and collected her from the kitchen just as she finished drinking the now chocolaty milk.

 

“Are we late?” she asked when he set her onto the counter in the bathroom and began to wash her face with a damp face towel.

 

Donghae nodded. “Daddy slept in because he’s a babo,” Donghae playfully called himself as he began to get her dressed, whilst she carefully began to brush her teeth.

 

Hana disagreed and scowled at him since she couldn’t speak with her pink toothbrush in her mouth.

 

Donghae’s hands stilled at seeing the little action, his mind supplying him with the image of her mother performing the expression. Hana turned to spit and rinse her mouth, and Donghae forced his hands to continue putting her socks on.

 

He keeps forgetting how alike his daughter and his ex-wife were. She may have inherited his looks, but she inherited her mother’s calm and honest personality. At four years old, Hana wasn’t shy to tell you things, regardless if they were good or bad. But she also took after Donghae for being quiet and shy at times, especially when you first meet her.

 

But once you overcome that, you saw her true personality.

 

Donghae’s phone began to ring with the alarm that he sets every night to alert him to get his butt out of the house and on his way to Hana’s school, and while he rushed to find that and his car keys, Hana was calm as she retrieved her Hello Kitty backpack and began to put on her black school shoes near the apartment door.

 

“Hana, I need to make your lunch!” Donghae cried as he almost fell into the open refrigerator with distress at forgetting to make it.

 

The sound of her footsteps pattering towards the kitchen only fuelled Donghae faster as he rushed to make a sandwich and cut up the fruit he’d set aside earlier. 

 

“Be careful,” she singed as she watched him move around the kitchen, creating a mess as he went.

 

His phone inside his jean pocket began to ring with the second alarm he has to tell him that if he’s not out of the house now then he’s officially late. His feet were practically dancing as he paused to put Hana’s lunch box into her backpack, causing her to giggle as he jostled her slightly.

 

“You’re funny when stressed,” she giggled as Donghae quickly hurried her to the front door and shoved his feet into his white trainers that have seen better days.

 

“Daddy’s funny?” he repeated with a smile as he eased the door shut once Hana was past it.

 

Hana’s head bobbed in a nod, her short brown hair bouncing with the movement, her brown eyes alive with amusement as she watched him lock the door. Donghae’s heart clenched with love and he tickled her once he picked her up and settled her onto his hip so that he could hurry to the elevator.

 

Hana laughed and fought his hand that was tickling her side, and Donghae pressed her tighter against his body as he waited for the elevator to take them down. He listened to his daughter tell him about a dream she had during the night as he carried her through the entrance of their apartment building. Once outside, he smiled as she shouted a greeting to the old lady who they see every morning walking her dog in the little neighbourhood park next to their home.

 

The old lady waved at them, and Donghae bowed in greeting before reaching his white car. Hana argued to let him fasten herself into the backseat, and Donghae watched carefully as she did it correctly. He shut the door once he made sure himself that she was safe, before hurrying to get inside and start the car.

 

As he began to pull away, Hana begged to have the music on, and Donghae pretended to whine about listening to the news whilst he found a radio station that suited his daughter’s taste. Hana began to sing to the music, causing Donghae’s smile to return as she cutely got the words wrong, but still continued to give it her all.

 

Hana’s bright, calming presence helped to keep Donghae sane as he fought not to scream and hurl insults at the cars that cut him off in the middle of Seoul, and fought to keep his speed down the more late he became.

 

He was still getting used to doing the school run and had to constantly remind himself not to lose it with the other drivers.

 

“Almost there!” Donghae cheered as he pulled into the neighbourhood that her school was located in.

 

Hana turned quiet and Donghae glanced into the rear-view mirror at her sudden silence.

 

Dread dropped into Donghae’s stomach at seeing the guilty look on her face, and the way she was biting her bottom lip. Donghae waited as he calmly drove through the streets.

 

“We forgot the permission slip for the aquarium trip,” she quietly mumbled.

 

This time, nothing covered the sound of Donghae’s frustrated curse.

 

 

 

 

Donghae’s head was beginning to ache as he left the sound of children laughing and talking behind him from the school building. He had spent the past fifteen minutes speaking to Hana’s teacher about forgetting the permission slip that was due in today, which hadn’t taken long, but what had taken so long was Donghae trying to escape from the female who he knew was flirting with him.

 

Donghae was just thankful it had been outside of the classroom when she reassuringly, and completely unnecessary, patted his arm. He didn’t want Hana to see that, not so soon after him and her mother breaking up. 

 

“How come every time you look after me, I’m always late!” a boy who looked to be about seven years old, yelled as he rushed through the gates of the school grounds.

 

Donghae smiled as he saw a tired male following behind the boy and shook his head at not being the only parent whom had been late in getting their children to school this morning.

 

“Then you should start to listen when I tell you to get up!” the male shouted as he stopped at the gates, and as the boy rushed past Donghae, he snorted at the little comment he heard come from the boy.

 

The sounds of the doors opening and shutting told him that the boy was gone, and Donghae nodded in greeting at the tall, thin male that was currently trapped in a yawn.

 

“Kids, huh?” Donghae joked with a smile as he passed him.

 

“I know, who’d be crazy to have them?” the male mumbled as he turned to go back the way he came, causing Donghae to raise an eyebrow at the male’s honest answer.

 

Donghae watched as the male walked away to a black car, and Donghae thought back to the words that the boy had shouted whilst he walked to his own parked car.

 

The boy had said that every time the male looked after him they were late; Donghae wondered if the male was split from his partner, because if so, Donghae could totally relate to the struggles of being a single parent, but it still didn’t explain the male’s honest sounding answer.

 

The male’s car passed him and he nodded in reply to the male’s polite goodbye nod, watching as the male sped down the street a lot faster than Donghae would’ve personally gone.

 

“None of my business,” he told himself as he started his car and began to salvage his schedule for today.

 

 

 

 

“Did Kibum get to school on time today?”

 

Kyuhyun glanced up from the coffee he had ordered ten minutes ago and gave the female who had sat opposite him a warning look.

 

She sighed and shook her head at him before taking a sip from the drink she’d just bought at the coffee shop’s counter.

 

“He refuses to get up on time,” he defends himself and the female gives him a scathing look.

 

“That’s because you let him stay up to play games.” Kyuhyun shook his head in denial at her words.

 

“I don’t allow him to play those games. He’s underage.” He shot her a disapproving look, “You should know that.”

 

His sister’s sigh told him that she wasn’t in the mood for the bickering, and Kyuhyun bit back his argumentative tongue.

 

“What time did you finish work?” he asked her just before he took a drink of his coffee.

 

“4am.”

 

It was Kyuhyun’s turn to sigh now.

 

“It’s only once in a while that I work until that time, Kyuhyun.” His sister reminded him, but he still didn’t like how her job as a photographer still required her to work that long on something that could be done within a few hours.

 

“Let me guess, the model was tough to work with?” he dryly commented with a roll of his eyes as he continued to drink his coffee.

 

His sister glared at him. “It wasn’t the model, but the designer.” She admitted reluctantly.

 

“Is it normal to have the designer on set?” Kyuhyun asked with furrowed eyebrows.

 

“It’s not rare, but it’s not exactly normal.” She told him before blowing and sipping her own drink. “This designer had the exact image he wanted, and he made sure he got it.”

 

“I don’t know how you can work for fashion,” Kyuhyun mumbled into his drink, and yelped at a sharp kick to his shin.

 

“The same goes for someone who plays games for a living,” she commented in the same tone he had and he glowered at her.

 

“I’m a gaming tester,” he gritted out defensively. After years of people critiquing his career, it caused his reply to be snappier than it should’ve been.

 

“It’s not nice to have your profession questioned is it?” she asked him, and he begrudgingly grunted in reply as he drank the rest of his coffee.

 

“Just don’t make my nephew into someone who is obsessed with fashion,” he warned as he rose to get another coffee, and this one would be for the road.

 

“That warning is a little late,” his sister smirked as he went past her, and Kyuhyun restrained the childish impulse to whine about his only nephew becoming interested in that world.

 

“I still have time,” he vowed after he ordered his coffee to take out.

 

But as he waited for his coffee to be made, he thought back to the argument he had with the seven-year-old this morning.

 

_“I’m not wearing it!”_

_Kyuhyun felt like pulling his hair out as his nephew threw his school uniform back at him, and stormed back into the only guest bedroom he had in his apartment._

_“You have to wear it!” Kyuhyun gritted out loudly as he followed the seven-year-old boy._

_“It’s not even ironed!” Kibum snarled in disgust, causing Kyuhyun to look down at the uniform in his arms._

_Sure, they were a little creased from being in the dryer this morning, but they would drop out during the day. Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes at his nephew and motioned to the watch on his wrist._

_“We’re already late because you refused to get up, and we had to wait for your uniform to dry because you spilt juice on it last night.” Kyuhyun reminded him as he moved forward to dress the boy himself. “I am not ironing this because we’re already late,” he sternly added._

_Kibum evaded his advances, and ran past him with Kyuhyun following closely at his heels, yelling for Kibum to get dressed._

_“Look, I know you like dressing like you don’t care about your appearance, but I do!” Kibum argued, and Kyuhyun gaped at him._

_“You’re seven!” he argued back, his frustration and patience slipping fast._

_“It’s what my mother does!”_

_“I’m your uncle, not your mother!_

_“You suck!” Kibum yelled angrily, and Kyuhyun calmly dumped the uniform onto his black, leather sofa._

_“Cho Kibum, if I ever hear you use that expression in that manner again, I’ll make sure that your mother won’t let you read another vogue magazine again, understood?” Kyuhyun threatened as he loomed over the coffee table that was between him and his nephew, and Kibum’s face paled, the angry red flush to his cheeks vanishing as he frantically nodded._

_“Good. Now get dressed.”_

Kyuhyun smacked his fist off the counter, ignoring the startled noise the girl behind the counter made as she held his coffee.

 

He was such a blind idiot.

 

 

 

 

The sound of idol music was blaring from behind the apartment door, causing Donghae to shake his head at his boss’s choice of music as he entered the entrance code into door lock.

 

Entering the male’s home, Donghae frowned at seeing the scattered shoes that travelled halfway into the apartment. Donghae shuffled them back to the shoe rack opposite the front door, making a note to come back and tidy them up after he paid his greetings. 

 

Coming into the apartment, Donghae bristled at the state of chaos that was made from balls of scrunched up paper, empty bottles of wine, and clothes that looked to be prototypes flung carelessly over the back of the red, leather corner sofa.

 

“Heechul?” Donghae yelled over the music as he followed the source down the hallway, which led him to his boss’s home office.

 

The sight that graced his eyes shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. His boss, a thirty-year-old male, was currently shaking his bum in tight black skinny jeans whilst screeching at the top of his lungs along to the girl who was attempting to rap.

 

Heechul’s longish brown hair was tied back into a purposely styled, yet casual ponytail, and as Donghae rested against the wooden door frame, Heechul began to do a disastrous attempt of a body roll that sent Donghae laughing.

 

Heechul somehow heard him from over the music, because he stopped his atrocious dancing to come running at Donghae. Donghae reacted too late, and found himself in a smothering hug as Heechul clung tightly to him.

 

“Fuck me, you are real!” Heechul screamed to be heard in his ear, and Donghae winced at the abuse to his poor eardrum.

 

“How about you turn off the music so that you don’t deafen me?” Donghae suggested as he tried to unhook the older male’s arms from around his neck.

 

Heechul was having none of it, and proceeded to drag Donghae in a headlock over to the iPod docking station on his cluttered desk.

 

Silence graced his thankful ears, and Donghae pointedly tapped the arm that was holding his head hostage.

 

“Mind letting me go?” Donghae asked as he tried to look up at the male who was tutting at the state of his hair, with hair pulling being included with the inspection.

 

“Nope. You’ll end up leaving me for another month, and I can’t be having that.” The male commented as he let go off him, causing Donghae to scowl at the male.

 

“You’re the one who suggested that I take a month’s leave,” he reminded him, and Heechul waved off his reminder as he sat behind the cluttered desk.

 

“I didn’t think you’d take it.” Heechul honestly told him, causing Donghae to smile mockingly at the male.

 

“I break up with my wife of six years, and you didn’t think I’d accept that offer to sort out mine and Hana’s life?” Donghae asked as he accepted the sheets of paper that Heechul was holding out to him.

 

“Technically, you were married for four years, and dated for two. But how is the kid?” Heechul asks curiously, and Donghae stopped reading the design of a pair of heels to glance at him.

 

“Wondering why uncle Heechul has yet to visit her with the dress he promised to make for her.” Donghae smirked, and Heechul shook his head as he reached over for his mug of black coffee.

 

“I said it was for her birthday, and that’s still a few more months away, so she’ll get it then.” Heechul shrugged, and Donghae shook his head as he went back to looking over the male’s sketches.

 

“Are these for the new collection, or have you already sent the designs off to the shoemakers?” Donghae asked as he continued to look through the sketches of footwear.

 

“No, they’re new. I was just waiting for your verdict on them.”

 

Donghae raised an eyebrow at the comment, and Heechul raised one back mockingly.

 

“You never listen to my views,” Donghae slowly spoke as he eyed the male with suspicion.

 

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t care to know what my assistant thinks of my work.”

 

Donghae hummed in agreement. “I think the colouring for the heels is a disgusting shade, maybe you could go lighter instead?” he offered as he handed the sheets back to Heechul.

 

Heechul studied the drawing, and hummed to himself while Donghae began to clear his desk of rubbish and putting it into the rubbish bin in the corner of the room.

 

“I think you may be right.” Donghae blinked at the male in shock, and moved to feel the older male’s forehead.

 

“Who are you and what have you done to my boss?” he asked as he yanked his hand away before Heechul’s teeth could attack him.

 

“Very funny, clever dick, now go and get a chair. You’ve missed a lot in the past month.” Heechul ordered, and Donghae saluted as he went to find the chair that is usually in the office.

 

A few hours later, and Donghae was sent to get something for lunch.

 

Heechul had tried to get rid of him after an hour, claiming that he didn’t need Donghae, and that he could still have some time off to adjust. Donghae had told him to shut up, and asked him what he wanted for lunch, before escaping from the male who was nothing but worried about his wellbeing at the moment.

 

Heechul maybe a well known designer for a high profiled fashion line, but he was still the kind hyung Donghae had grown up with. Heechul wasn’t a person who freely gave out his trust, so when he decided to put his savings together and follow out his dream of designing clothes, he’d asked Donghae to be by his side to keep him on track.

 

Donghae had been working for Heechul a year when he met the women of his dreams.

 

Yeon Hee had short, dark brown hair then, which suited her pale skin. Her eyes were a bright brown that were full of mischief and warmth, her lips small, yet pouty almost.

 

Donghae had met her on a set for photo shoot for a regular fashion magazine. She was the make-up artist, and it was Donghae’s job to ensure that Heechul’s chosen models were accounted for and were okay.    

 

It only took a glance into each other’s eyes for Donghae to become hooked on her.

 

After a shy introduction that later made Donghae feel completely humiliated, he learned her name and attempted to make small talk with her. She stunned him by commenting that his shyness is sweet and refreshing to see. Cue Donghae becoming even more besotted with her, and as the shoot went on, he asked for her number, which she happily gave him.

 

They went on a few dates when their jobs allowed them too, and after a few months, Heechul ordered him to ask her to date him officially, since he couldn’t take his love struck ramblings anymore.

 

Needless to say, Heechul was the first one to congratulate him when Donghae broke the news the next day that they were now a couple.

 

Two years went past, and on her birthday, Donghae surprised her by proposing to her on the beach at sunset. She didn’t hesitate in saying yes, and they began to plan their wedding.

 

Since Donghae is a huge romantic, and he loved to spoil her, he tried to give her the day that she’d dreamed about. Heechul offered to design her wedding dress and make it free of charge as his wedding gift to them, which touched them both, and caused Donghae to cry at the kind gift.

 

Donghae has a lot of tears, and on his wedding day, he thought he shed them all.

 

But Yeon Hee had to make a special announcement during their wedding dinner.

 

She was pregnant, and since Donghae has longed to be a father for so long, the news sent him crying whilst he cradled his wife into a loving embrace.

 

Donghae was the dotting husband throughout Yeon Hee’s pregnancy. He was always at the scans, the meetings to discuss her birthing plan, and to experience the hormonal mess that it often reduced his beautiful wife too. Donghae was there for it all, and when Hana was born, he was crying as he held Yeon Hee’s hand as they both waited to hear her cry for the first time.

 

But, as Hana grew, Heechul’s career sky rocketed, and Donghae became increasingly busy, which meant he was away a lot due to being the male’s personal assistant.

 

Yeon Hee had quit her job as a make-up artist when she found out that she was pregnant, so she was always in the house with Hana. Donghae tried to be there, and when Heechul’s career began to settle into its new home in the fashion world, it became clear that Donghae’s marriage was strained.

 

Yeon Hee was distant with him, often leaving Hana with him while she claimed a few hours to herself. Donghae didn’t mind, he felt that he owed her the time alone since she’s always cooped up inside, but he did miss the spark that he use to feel between them.

 

Hana was unaware of the growing tension between him and her mother, and as Donghae became less busy and was able to be at home more often, he didn’t expect Yeon Hee to be snappy with him, wanting him out of her way, or to take Hana out for the day.

 

As much as he idolised his daughter, he wanted time with his wife too. But after being shrugged off with every attempt of being intimate with her, Donghae began to have thoughts that left a sour taste in his mouth.

 

He began to watch her reactions, the way she phrased things, and the most important, the way she avoided him.

 

Donghae asked his best friend, Eunhyuk, to watch Hana for a few hours while he waited at home for Yeon Hee to come back from lunch with her friends. Not expecting Donghae to be home, since he had told her that he and Eunhyuk were taking Hana to the beach, Yeon Hee came home with someone that Donghae classed a little more than just a friend.

 

She couldn’t deny that she was cheating, since he’d caught her stumbling into their home whilst kissing another man. But she still tried to blame Donghae for making her cheat.

 

Donghae didn’t listen to her. He packed her bags himself, and asked for her keys whilst saying that she can explain her excuses for adultery to his lawyer.

 

That was a month ago, and his divorce proceedings were about to begin.

 

He didn’t want her back; he didn’t even want to hear the reason why she had resorted to cheating on him instead of speaking to him. Donghae knew his job had put strain onto his marriage, but it could’ve been fixed if she had just spoken to him. She decided not to, which showed that she no longer cared about him, or their daughter.

 

Yeon Hee was living with her parents at the moment, looking for a job as a make-up artist. Until she was able to have a reliable source of income, and a place of her own, Donghae was given custody over Hana.

 

Donghae and Yeon Hee had set up a meeting system that allowed Hana to stay at her grandparent’s for a weekend, every fortnight.

 

There’s only been one meeting so far, and Yeon Hee didn’t speak to him, and he didn’t speak to her, unless he had to tell her something that was directed to her car over Hana.

 

Donghae no longer viewed things the way he had done. Yeon Hee destroyed his believing of her being his soul mate, and in turn, destroyed his view on love.

 

The only person whom he loved was his daughter. She was all he needed now, and he’ll do his best to make sure that the divorce doesn’t affect her life too much. She needed a routine now, and by Donghae going back to work, he was hoping that they’d create a new one that will be easier to live with than the one they had been using the past month.

 

He was done with moping. Now was the time for action.

 

 

 

 

“What do you mean, you’re stuck at work?” Kyuhyun hissed down his phone as he hunted down his car keys that lay underneath the mess of gaming magazines he had on his coffee table.

 

“I have an important client today, and I can’t leave to pick up Kibum.” His sister explained desperately over the phone.

 

“Why is the brat being sent home?” he asked as he spied his car keys and dragged his feet to put his shoes on.

 

“That’s a lovely endearment to use for your nephew,” his sister sarcastically spoke, causing Kyuhyun to roll his eyes.

 

“If you want me to pick up your kid, it’s as good as it’s going to get.” He told her as he slipped out of his apartment and locked the door behind him.

 

“He’s not feeling well, so they’ve asked me if it’s okay to send him home.” His sister’s voice drowned out suddenly as a commotion erupted on her end, resulting in Kyuhyun wincing and pulling the phone away from his head.

 

“More like he’s trying to hit his teenage years early by skiving off school,” Kyuhyun scoffed as he waited for the elevator to come.

 

“Ring me when you’ve got him, and I’ll tell you where I’m working at today so that you can get my keys.” His sister didn’t wait for his reply, she just hung up.

 

Kyuhyun sighed as he eyed his dishevelled appearance in the mirrored elevator walls.

 

He was wearing his gray jogging pants, his old university hoodie that’s only worn on his lazy days due to its worn faded appearance, and he was wearing a pair of trainers that were due for a wash.

 

Kyuhyun shrugged as his hands ran through his brown, short hair that he’s just recently had chopped due to his friend’s hassling about him looking like a hobo. Kyuhyun missed the length and thickness he had, and promised himself not to let his best friend dictate his hairstyle ever again.

 

As Kyuhyun left his apartment building, he was smiling as he imagined the astonished face his sister will pull once she sees him turning up at a high profiled fashion shoot wearing sweats.

 

But before he could see that, he’d have to face the wrath of his nephew once he sees his choice of clothing.

 

 

 

 

“Do you have any shame?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Do you not care that Kim Heechul, the hottest designer in Korea, is going to be seeing you, _in your sweats_?”

 

“Again, nope.”

 

“How can I be related to someone like you?” Kibum cried in angst as he glared at Kyuhyun’s jogging pants with disgust.

 

Kyuhyun shot him a warning look, before looking back at the road. “What did I warn you about, two weeks ago?” he asked, and Kibum scoffed as he folded his arms.

 

“I haven’t even said that word, so it doesn’t count.” Kibum argued with a tipped chin.

 

“No, but for a supposedly sick person, you have an attitude problem. An attitude that always comes out around me and my choice of style. Now, listen to the word that I used there, Kibum. I used the word ‘choice’. Want to know why? Because it’s what I’ve chosen, not by a magazine, nor by a seven-year-old boy, but by me.” Kyuhyun causally lectured the boy, but the glances he kept shooting at him were anything but casual, and more threatening than scolding.

 

Kibum swallowed nervously under his gaze, and nodded in understanding.

 

Kyuhyun grinned happily and reached over to ruffle the boy’s hair.

 

“Now that we have that out of the way, let’s enjoy the awful music that is currently coming from the radio, shall we?” Kyuhyun playfully asked, and Kibum snorted in disagreement, his hand already searching for a new radio station.

 

 

 

 

“Yah, you’re not supposed to run inside!” Kyuhyun yelled as he chased after the boy.

 

They’d arrived at his sister’s new workplace, and since Kyuhyun was completely unfamiliar with it, he was placing his trust into his nephew to lead him. But as soon as he parked the car, the brat escaped and rushed for the concrete steps that lead to the building.

 

The receptionist stood frozen behind her desk, her startled eyes following Kyuhyun as he bowed at her whilst running after his nephew. As Kibum’s little form raced further ahead, Kyuhyun slowed his pace to a jog, already embarrassed enough to be chasing a seven-year-old that had zero respect for him.

 

Framed pictures taken by his sister decorated the corridor he was in, and as he read the door plates, he wondered how many dressing rooms and waiting areas a photography studio needed. The sound of his sister’s surprised voice had him hurrying down the corridor until it gave way to a huge studio that was bustling with people.

 

Kyuhyun ignored the stares that were aimed at him as he tracked down his sister that was currently feeling Kibum’s forehead for a fever that he didn’t have. Kyuhyun curiously eyed the young female model that was patiently waiting for his sister to resume taking pictures of her, and wondered why girls would wear the frilly looking red lingerie that covered most of her upper body.

 

“Kyu?” His sister called him to gain his attention from scrutinising the tight garment, and he glanced at her to see her holding Kibum’s hand, no doubt keeping him anchored to stop him from running off.

 

“Keys?” he asked with his hand held out, and she nodded her head back to the corridor he’d come from.

 

“They’re in my office past the reception. Just ask Luna to let you in and they should be on my desk.” Kyuhyun groaned as he turned to leave, but paused at hearing his sister sigh, “You couldn’t have changed?”

 

“You asked me to pick up your kid, not model for you.” Kyuhyun retorted as he turned back around, just as Kibum began to harass his mother for him to see Kim Heechul.

 

“Mr Kim is a busy man, Kibum.” His sister patiently explained, waving him aside so that she could pick up her camera again.

 

“Let him meet the man,” Kyuhyun encouraged, causing Kibum to loudly agree with him.

 

His sister sent him a glower. “Hurry up and get the keys, Kyuhyun.”

 

“I’m just saying it may help him realise that being involved with fashion is just a waste of time and money.” At the twin murderous glares he gained from his loving family members, Kyuhyun was sniggering as he left the studio to hunt down his sister’s keys.

 

 

 

 

Donghae watched the tall, young-looking male exit the studio, his amused smile refusing to leave his face after hearing the male’s parting comment. It was a good thing that Heechul was on the phone, otherwise the poor male would be getting a berating from his boss.

 

“Who’s the kid?” Heechul asked as he came to stand beside him, his phone call now finished with.

 

“I think he’s the photographer’s son.” Donghae guessed as he watched the female work with the boy standing away from her, watching her work with concentrating eyes.

 

“It looks like he wants to follow in his mother’s footsteps.” Heechul commented as the boy followed his mother to the table of computers so that she could check her shots.

 

She glanced over to where they were standing and motioned Heechul to come have a look. Heechul tugged him along, and Donghae’s eyes caught the way the little boy gazed at Heechul.

 

He smothered the little laugh that escaped him as the boy practically hurried to make room for Heechul at the computers, his eyes never once leaving his friend.

 

Maybe it wasn’t his mother the little boy aspired to follow, Donghae thought to himself as he smiled at the boy when he glanced at him.

 

The boy politely bowed to him, and shuffled closer to his mother, which meant he was closer to Heechul’s unsuspecting form.

 

“What do you think about this shot?” Heechul suddenly asked him, motioning Donghae to come have a look.

 

Donghae studied the picture, and hummed as he thought about the way the clothing was being lit and the way the model posed. She was very good at expressing emotion through her eyes, which was a must for Heechul when it came to people modelling his clothing.

 

Heechul hated models with dead eyes, and it was often Donghae’s job to gently direct the model once Heechul left the room to get himself a ‘stress-relieving’ coffee. But this model was working the concept perfectly.

 

The concept matched the title that Heechul had given the lingerie collection that he had designed a few months ago. It was named Naked Soul.

 

The set was minimalistic, just sheer white walls, and a vintage black bar stool for the model to work with. It was down to the model to bring the concept alive with using her body and her eyes – which are said to be the windows to your soul.

 

Heechul wanted to see how every set of lingerie the model wore affected her, what it made her feel. The one she was wearing was a little sexier than the one she had worn beforehand.

 

Compare her photos from this shoot to the last shot with the elegant, silk nightdress she’d worn, you could see that the nightdress made her feel comfortable, and at ease. But in these shots, you could see that she was feeling more confident and daring as she stared down the camera.

 

“I like it,” Donghae finally gave his verdict.

 

“Of course you do,” Heechul smirked, causing Donghae to narrow his eyes warningly at him.

 

“Great!” The female clapped, her expression relieved as she waved for the model to get changed for the next shot. “That bodice is beautiful,” she gushed as she looked back at the photos she’d taken.

 

Donghae and Heechul’s eye battle broke, and Heechul smiled proudly at the compliment.

 

“It looks outstanding due to the way that you’ve captured it,” he praised her, and Donghae smiled at the little shake of her head as a blush worked over her cheeks.

 

“I think the model looks alluring, Mr Kim!” The little boy piped up.

 

The female spun to mask her son’s mouth with her hand, and Donghae blinked at the little boy who was gazing up at Heechul with hopeful eyes.

 

“Where did you learn that word?” Donghae heard the female hiss as the boy tried to remove her hand from his face.

 

Heechul looked completely amused by the situation, and he surprised not just Donghae, but the boy and the photographer by bending down so that he was eye-level with the boy.

 

“I think so too, little man.” Heechul agreed as he ruffled the boy’s hair, causing Donghae to smile at the gentle act. The little boy’s eyes were wide with disbelief, just like his mother’s, which meant that he was able to remove her hand from his mouth.

 

“The models in some magazines look horrible, all boring and dull.” He enthusiastically shared with Heechul, and Heechul pulled a face as he nodded in agreement.

 

“You have quite an eye for someone so young.” Heechul remarked lightly, his eyes glancing to look at the blushing photographer. “I’m guessing he got it from you?” he asked, and she nodded. “I hope he continues to train that eye, because it’ll come in handy in this profession.”

 

Donghae’s cheeks felt like they were starting to hurt at watching the cute little scene, and when the boy requested to have his photo taken with Heechul, he took the photographer’s Polaroid camera, and began to snap some pictures of the three.

 

“I leave for five minutes and he’s managed to get his photo taken with the male?” the male from earlier groaned as he approached the computer area, causing Donghae to snort as he remembered the male’s parting words.

 

“Jealous?” the little boy teased as Heechul came to stand beside Donghae so that he could look at the pictures he’d taken.

 

“Not a chance,” the male scoffed, and Donghae saw the way Heechul’s attention went from critiquing Donghae’s photo skills, to staring at the tall male.

 

“I’m guessing your father doesn’t share the same eye, huh?” Heechul commented, and Donghae frowned at the male’s not exactly subtle jab at the other male’s choice of clothing.

 

To Donghae’s surprise, the male snorted, “I’m not his father.”

 

“Then that’s a blessing,” Heechul curtly responded, ignoring the look that Donghae was currently sending him to stop insulting strangers. “The model is ready, shall we start?” he asked as he went over to where the model was receiving touch ups to her make-up.

 

“Come on, let’s go.” The other male announced as he grabbed the boy’s hand before he could follow his mother, who had rushed to get her camera ready.

 

Donghae watched as the boy fought the male as he was dragged from the studio, and he glanced down at the three Polaroid’s he still held in his hands.

 

“Crap!” Donghae hissed as he dumped the camera onto the nearest surface and raced to catch up the boy and the male.

 

“Where are you going?” Heechul yelled from behind him, and Donghae spun to wave the pictures that he held in his hand at the male.

 

“I’ll be back!” he shouted as he just say dodged the hairstylist that he hadn’t seen coming into the room. His apology was sloppy as he moved past her, and shot off down the corridor.

 

He caught them just as they were going through the front doors, and Donghae’s shout for them to wait went unheard as the door shut on his shout. Donghae’s groan of frustration gained him a look from the female receptionist as he followed them.

 

“Hey!” He called as soon he opened the glass door, and they spun to look up at him from where they had paused going down the steps.

 

He waved the Polaroid’s at the boy, and smiled at the way the little boy looked horrified at forgetting them.

 

“You wouldn’t want to lose these, would you?” Donghae playfully teased as he jogged down the steps to meet them.

 

“Thank you, mister.” The boy politely thanked him, and handled the Polaroid’s gently, which amused Donghae.

 

He briefly wondered if the little boy was Heechul’s youngest fan.

 

“You’re polite to strangers, but disrespectful to your uncle?” the male commented dryly as he folded his arms.

 

The boy shrugged as he gazed down at the pictures. “Get a cooler job, then I may respect you more.”

 

Donghae snorted and covered his mouth with his hand as he bowed his head apologetically, that went unnoticed as the male became riled up from his nephew’s comment.

 

“Any other kid would be overjoyed to have an uncle that works for a gaming company, but I had to be stuck with a brat that chooses _clothes_ over things any other seven-year-old boy would find entertaining!” the male complained as he prodded the boy to move down the steps.

 

“What’s entertaining about playing games for a living?” the boy shot back as he refused to budge.

 

Seeing the male become further riled up, Donghae raised his hand and inputted his opinion.

 

“I think it’s a pretty cool job to have,” he smiled at the boy who gaped at him with disbelief, and the male’s eyes become curious as he continued to prod the boy’s upper arm.

 

“Really?” the boy stressed the word, his face expressing his refusal to believe it.

 

“Really!” Donghae enthusiastically nodded. “You’ll be the first one to see the new game months before it’s released, and you’ll know how to play it, which will make all your friends jealous.”

 

 “Games bore me.” The boy shrugged and turned his back to Donghae, finally obeying to his uncle and hopping down the steps, leaving a dumbstruck Donghae staring after him.

 

“He’s a unique one,” the male sighed as he patted Donghae on the shoulder. “I’ve only just recently resigned myself to accept that he’s going to grow up breathing fashion and snark.”

 

Donghae chuckled at the male’s comment and depressing tone. “How recent?” he asked.

 

“Two weeks ago,” the male answered as he took a step down, “when I threatened to take away his privilege of reading Vogue magazine.”

 

Donghae couldn’t stop the laughter from coming, and from the smile on the male’s face, he didn’t mind Donghae’s laughter.

 

“A little blind sighted?” Donghae teased him.

 

“A little?” the male repeated with slightly raised eyebrows, his eyes playful as he played along. He gestured to the way the boy was currently eyeing the people walking past the bottom of the stairs, his face scrunched with distaste.

 

“I think I was past the blindness, and was firmly sitting in denial.” The male smiled, and called for the boy to stop glowering at strangers, which caused the glower to fixate on him instead.

 

“Are you done flirting yet?” the boy whined, and Donghae felt his cheeks go hot as the male’s smile slipped from his face, his eyes narrowing at the boy.

 

“That was a rude thing to say, Kibum.” The male’s tone was so reprimanding, that even Donghae felt like he was being scolded too.

 

“It’s fine, he’s just a kid,” Donghae awkwardly tried to diffuse the situation. “I’ll let you go now, since I’ve done what I needed to do,” he added as he edged back up the steps.

 

“It’s not fine,” the male muttered as he pointed to a black car parked near the steps for Kibum to walk to.

 

Kibum’s uncle turned to face Donghae, his face a little tight with anger still, and bowed goodbye at him that Donghae hastily followed.

 

“Sorry about my nephew, Mr...?” he trailed off pointedly.

 

“Lee Donghae,” Donghae told him with a little smile.

 

“Sorry about my nephew, Lee Donghae-shi,” the male repeated, and turned to go down the steps.

 

“And what is his uncle’s name?” Donghae asked without thinking, surprising himself, and the male.

 

The male stared at him with an expression Donghae couldn’t really figure out. It looked like the male was trying to analyse him, making Donghae fidget as the male continued to stare at him.

 

“Cho Kyuhyun,” he eventually introduced himself as he held out a hand to Donghae.

 

Donghae took a step down and accepted the handshake, smiling at the strong grip that Kyuhyun had.

 

Once the handshake and late introductions were finished, Donghae watched as Kyuhyun jogged down the rest of the steps and unlocked the black car. He smiled softly as Kibum bowed at him before he got into the car, and turned his back on them as he headed back inside.

 

As he entered the cooling reception area, his brain chose that moment as he entered to supply him with the memory of meeting the male two weeks ago at Hana’s school.

 

 

 

 

“How mad are you?” Kibum sheepishly asked him as Kyuhyun ushered him into his apartment.

 

Kyuhyun didn’t answer him; he just took off his trainers and went to turn the widescreen television on. Kibum followed him silently from the living room and into the kitchen.

 

“You’re pretty mad, huh?” Kibum weakly asked as Kyuhyun got a glass from the cupboard and began to pour the juice he always has in for his nephew. He handed him it without saying a word, and grabbed himself a bottle of water before leaving the kitchen to sit on his sofa.

 

Kibum hovered uncertainly near the sofa, little hands gripping his glass tightly.

 

“You can stand or you can sit, just do it within the next minute.” Kyuhyun drawled lazily as he began to channel surf, smirking when Kibum rushed to sit at the end of the sofa.

 

Ten minutes of silence went by between them, and Kyuhyun glanced at his nephew to see him gazing down at his glass of juice.

 

“Why am I angry, Kibum?” Kyuhyun asked him, startling him with his question.

 

“Because I said something I shouldn’t have?” he uncertainly answered, brown eyes turning more sad and apologetic with every passing second.

 

Kyuhyun shook his head no. “Try again.”

 

He let Kibum think about it as he began to clear up his coffee table so that Kibum would have a place to put his glass.

 

“Is it because I pretended to be sick?”

 

“Ding ding, we have a winner!”

 

Kibum stuck his bottom lip out into a pout. “But it was just this one time!” he argued.

 

“And it’s going to remain just one time, Kibum.” Kyuhyun warned him sternly. “You’re not skipping school this young, or even when you’re older, just to see some fashion designer.”

 

Kibum turned quiet as he looked down at his glass again. Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes and leaned towards Kibum, effectively scaring the boy when he realised that Kyuhyun had moved.

 

“I want to hear you promise me, Kibum.” Kyuhyun ordered, and Kibum bit his lip as he nodded once.

 

“I promise not to skip school again,” the boy dragged his words out, as if it caused him utter misery to agree to Kyuhyun’s demand.

 

Kyuhyun ruffled his hair roughly. “Good boy, now what do you want to watch?”

 

“Well, there’s this clothing show about designers competing against each other for-”

 

“No.”

 

“Then why ask me?!”

 

 

 

 

He refuses to be late. He won’t be late to pick up his daughter. He won’t ram his car into the slow-poke that is driving in front of him.

 

Donghae refuses to be bested; he’ll get there on time.

 

“How slow do you want to drive?!” he snarled as his hands clenched the steering wheel tightly, making the leather covering go tight.

 

Donghae was fuming as he finally approached his daughter’s school, cursing himself as he saw the flocks of children coming through the school gates. He cursed out loud when his seatbelt got caught and he viciously wrestled with it until he was free, taking his anger out on slamming his car door as hard as he could.

 

How could he lose track of time? He had promised Hana a routine. Being late to take her home from school wasn’t part of the routine.

 

Donghae’s eyes frantically looked for his daughter’s face, almost having a heart attack when he failed to see her the first time, and only seeing her as he spied the teacher that loves to flirt with him.

 

Donghae jogged over to them, apologising to them once he was within hearing distance.

 

“It’s alright, Mr Lee.” The female reassured him as she let go of Hana’s hand to let her come to him.

 

“Sorry, baby.” Donghae whispered as he bent down to pick her up so that he could hug her.

 

“You’re not that late, daddy.” Hana giggled, and tapped his nose. “But don’t do it again.”

 

Donghae laughed while he waved goodbye to the teacher before she could engage him into a flirtatious conversation that Donghae didn’t have the patience for today.

 

“I promise, sweetie.” He assured her as he got close to the school gates.

 

Donghae was about to turn right to go down the street where his car was parked, when he got a glimpse of someone familiar out of the corner of his eye.

 

Turning to his left, Donghae blinked in surprise at seeing Kyuhyun waiting against a black car across the street.

 

The male was dressed in a pair of light jeans that fitted him well, and he was wearing a white, slightly low, v-neck top. He was on the phone, so when he met Donghae’s staring eyes, he waved and started to come towards him.

 

“Who’s he?” Hana whispered to him, her eyes fixed on Kyuhyun as he hung up from his call.

 

“Donghae-shi, right?” Kyuhyun asked hesitantly, and Donghae nodded slowly due to his tone.

 

Kyuhyun’s grin turned wide. “I knew I remembered it right.”

 

Hana giggled quietly, causing Donghae to stare at her in surprise, and causing Kyuhyun to smile at her softly.

 

“There’s no need to ask if she is your daughter, you can see the resemblance.” Kyuhyun commented lightly, chuckling when Hana nodded in agreement with him.

 

Still surprised at the lack of shyness from his daughter, Donghae introduced her to Kyuhyun.

 

“Hana?” Kyuhyun repeated, and Hana nodded. “That’s a pretty name, do you know what it means?” he asked her.

 

Hana’s smile beamed at Kyuhyun, which further caused Donghae to be confused at how his daughter was reacting to Kyuhyun, a stranger whom she’s just met.

 

“I know it means ‘flower’ in Japanese,” she proudly told Kyuhyun, who smiled and nodded.

 

“You have a smart little girl,” he complimented, and it was at that that Hana turned shy and hid her face into Donghae’s neck, causing him to laugh at her sudden change.

 

“Normally, she’s shy from the start, but you somehow managed to hold off her shyness until you complimented her.” He explained to Kyuhyun who was looking at her with puzzlement.

 

 “Uncle!” Kibum’s voice caught their attention as the seven-year-old raced towards them, his eyes fixed on Donghae and Hana.

 

“I thought my mother was picking me up?” Kibum asked as he continued to stare at Donghae.

 

“She’s just asked me to take you home whilst she cleans up at the studio,” Kyuhyun explained, and Donghae bit his lip to refrain from asking Kyuhyun about Kibum’s father, since the impression he was getting felt like the male wasn’t around as much.

 

“How have you been?” Donghae politely asked them both, since he really hadn’t anticipated to converse with Kyuhyun when he saw him.

 

Kibum got distracted with saying goodbye to another boy, so it was just Kyuhyun who answered his question.

 

“Good. My pride is still sore though.” Donghae laughed at the male’s answer, and watched as he directed a playful glare at the boy.

 

“Why does your pride hurt?” Hana shyly asked him, peeking out to look at Kyuhyun from where she was pressing her cheek against Donghae’s own.

 

“Because, this little boy here,” Kyuhyun tapped Kibum on the head to get him to listen, “made fun of his uncle’s job, which was a mean thing to do, wasn’t it, Kibum?”

 

Donghae knew what was coming next, and he tried to stifle his laughter as Kibum shook his head.

 

“I told you: get a cool job, and I’ll stop being mean about it,” Kibum retorted smartly.

 

Kyuhyun pulled a sad face at Hana. “See, he’s mean to me.”

 

“Kyuhyun works with computer games,” Donghae explained to her whilst Kibum mocked Kyuhyun’s words.

 

“I like games!” She excitedly told him, causing Kyuhyun to grin at her, and causing Kibum to stare at her with wide eyes.

 

“Why?” Kibum demanded, and Hana frowned at him.

 

“Why not?” she answered back, and Donghae and Kyuhyun snorted at the same time.

 

“Games are boring!” Kibum stressed, pointing at his uncle when he said the word ‘boring’.

 

“Okay, let’s drop this subject before we have a repeat of last week,” Donghae hastily intervened, and Kyuhyun gently cuffed the back of Kibum’s head at the comment.

 

“If I’m so boring, how come you ask your mother to bring you over to mine every day?” Kyuhyun demanded.

 

Kibum shrugged. “Free food.”

 

He dodged Kyuhyun’s hands as he went to grab him, and ran over to the male’s car.

 

“Brat,” Kyuhyun hissed, causing Donghae to shake his head at the childish antics that the two always seemed to have.

 

“You’re funny,” Hana giggled, and Donghae froze as Kyuhyun moved close to them so that he could playfully flick her nose.

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he smiled as he moved away. “I’ll let you guys go, I have to get my annoying nephew home to his mother.”

 

Donghae waved goodbye along with Hana, hers being more energetic than his.

 

“I like him,” Hana grinned at him as Donghae turned to head for his own car.

 

“You’ve just met him, silly.” Donghae gently told her.

 

“Wait!” Kyuhyun shouted, causing Donghae to jump and jerk Hana slightly due to the unexpected call.

 

He turned to see the male running back to him. “How old are you?” he bluntly asked Donghae, throwing him completely off guard.

 

“My daddy is twenty-six years old!” Hana cheerfully told him, hands raised to show the numbers, realising it was too big, and just showed him her six little fingers, causing Donghae to splutter at her forwardness.

 

“How old are you?” she quickly asked, causing Kyuhyun to send him a smile.

 

“I’m twenty-four,” he told them both, and Donghae thought back through their previous conversations, and realised the male had spoken informally to him at times.

 

“You’re-” Donghae began to scold him, but Kyuhyun was already rushing back to his car.

 

“Later, hyung!” the male called as he waved bye to them again, and Donghae spun on his heel to stomp to his car, causing Hana to bounce on his hip as he went.

 

“Do you still like him?” Donghae grumbled to his daughter as he reached his car.

 

A car horn scared him, causing him and Hana to shriek. He glared at Kyuhyun who waved at him as they drove past them.

 

“I really like him,” she giggled, already recovered from the scare.

 

“Daddy has enough friends that make fun of him, he doesn’t need anymore.” He complained as he fastened her into her raised seat.

 

“I like him,” Hana began to sing, and Donghae sighed as he backed out of the backseat.

 

Kyuhyun had charmed his daughter, and for the first time in the past few weeks, he saw her really enjoy someone else’s company apart from his own. Maybe it was worth Donghae befriending the younger male, just to hear his daughter animatedly talk about what she thought of Kyuhyun and Kibum.

 

As Donghae drove, he realised that his anger from earlier on had disappeared once Kyuhyun came over to speak to them.

 

He didn’t want to question it, so he filed it away and ignored it.

 

 

 

 

Over the next few weeks, Kyuhyun became a regular at the school gates, which meant that Hana’s wish for him to become friends with the male was granted.

 

Donghae found himself leaving work earlier than he used to so that he could get to the school with plenty of time to spare. He wasn’t alone; Kyuhyun was an early person too, so they both gradually become close because of the spare time.

 

Donghae learned that Kyuhyun worked from home, only having to travel to the company he worked for when he had to deliver his news or review about how a game was working, and if it was bugged or not.

 

Kyuhyun had trained as a software editor for computer games, but due to lack of positions within his chosen company, he was unable to work as one. But, he was happy to test the games and insure that they ran correctly.

 

Kyuhyun also told him that because he was able to work from home, his sister had his number on speed dial for when she need Kibum to be babysat. He didn’t mind it, and although they had different interests, they had the same stubborn, blunt personality which caused them to not only be close, but also clash at times.

 

This was one of them moments.

 

“Get into the car, Kibum.” Kyuhyun patiently growled as Donghae awkwardly stood on the pavement watching the scene.

 

Hana’s fingers were playing with his hand as she stood by his side, asking about the blue plaster that was around his index finger. He told her he cut himself at work, and that he’s fine now.

 

Hana hummed, and continued to play with his hand; completely oblivious to the boy that was currently refusing to get up from sitting on the floor.

 

“Ask him.” Kibum stubbornly replied with his arms folded on top of his knees as he nodded at Donghae.

 

Donghae questioningly raised an eyebrow at Kyuhyun, who waved it off as he stood with his car door open, face steadily turning from being calm, to being irritated as he motioned for Kibum to get in.  

 

“I’m the adult, you’re the child.” Kyuhyun hissed as he ignored the disapproving looks that were coming his way as other parents passed them, “so do as I say, and get in the car.”

 

“Are you scared that he’ll say no?” Kibum mockingly asked his uncle, and Donghae placed a hand onto Kyuhyun’s shoulder to prevent him from moving towards Kibum.

 

“You’re being rude towards your uncle, Kibum; he’s just asking you to do a very simple thing.” Donghae gently scolded as he bent down so that he was eye level with Kibum.

 

Kibum stuck his bottom lip out. “But he’s the one that said he’ll ask you!” he whined.

 

Hana’s hand left his to grip his shoulder so that he could reach and grab a hold of Kibum’s school bag.

 

“What do you want from my daddy?” Hana curiously asked Kibum as Donghae handed the bag to Kyuhyun, who tried not to throw it inside the car at the last second.

 

Kyuhyun groaned from behind him at hearing Hana’s question, causing Donghae to briefly catch the male hit his head of the car door on purpose.

 

“Would you and Hana like to join us for dinner today?” Kyuhyun begrudgingly asked with his voice being muffled as he still hid his face with the car door.

 

Donghae stared at Kyuhyun with bemusement, while Hana danced beside him, pleading for him to accept.

 

“Why were you so reluctant to ask such a simple thing like that?” Donghae asked as his hands automatically reached out to steady his excited daughter.

 

Kyuhyun peeked over at him from behind the door. “Because of reasons,” he vaguely stated.

 

Donghae rose and lightly hit the younger male’s head.

 

“Idiot, it’s just dinner, not a date.” He teased Kyuhyun as he turned to address the two waiting kids.

 

Kibum suddenly sniggered, his hands flying up to cover his face as he stared past Donghae, and Hana grabbed his hands tightly, her face hoping.

 

“Get into the car, Kibum, and we’ll see you later on tonight.” He smiled when both kids exclaimed loudly with happiness.

 

Kibum jumped up and raced to get into Kyuhyun’s car, and Hana continued to dance with him on the spot as she rapidly spoke about the dress that she wanted to wear tonight.

 

“Put your number into my contact list,” Donghae spoke whilst he wrestled to get one of his hands free so that he could get his phone from his trouser pocket.

 

Kyuhyun nodded as he took Donghae’s phone, and with one hand brought out his own as he began to swap their contact information.

 

“I’ll text you the time, the restaurant’s name, and where it is when I get home.” Kyuhyun told him as he handed Donghae’s phone back to him.

 

“Can we go to the one that has an indoor play area?” Kibum’s voice piped up from inside the car, and Kyuhyun closed the car door without answering him.

 

“Try not to kill him,” Donghae chuckled as the younger male passed him so that he could get to the driver’s side.

 

“Don’t tempt me.” Kyuhyun answered with a smirk, and waved bye to Hana before getting into the car.

 

“So, can I wear my dress?” Hana asked him as they waved goodbye to Kibum who was waving at them from the back window as Kyuhyun drove away.

 

Donghae distractedly nodded as he looked down at his phone whilst they walked to his car.

 

As Hana clapped and let go of his hand to run the rest of the way, Donghae smiled as he placed his phone back into his pocket.

 

Cho Kyuhyun had certainly charmed his daughter.

 

 

 

 

“Do you see them?” Donghae whispered into Hana’s ear as he held her in his arms, both of them looking for Kyuhyun and Kibum in the Italian family restaurant.

 

Her short, brown hair tickled the side of his face as she shook her head no, her brown eyes scanning slowly over the tables in the restaurant.

 

As a male waiter approached them with a warm, welcoming smile, Donghae heard Kibum shout his name. Not only drawing their attention, but also the entire restaurant.

 

Hana immediately pointed in the direction his voice came from, and both of them laughed at seeing Kyuhyun roughly tug the boy down from standing on his chair, bowing his head apologetically to the other customers.

 

“He’s still got all of his limbs,” Donghae joked as soon as he was near the table.

 

“He wouldn’t hurt me. He loves me too much!” Kibum smiled at Donghae while he scooted Hana’s chair close to the table.

 

“Delusional brat,” Kyuhyun mumbled to himself, face red still from having the other customers stare at him due to Kibum’s shout.

 

Donghae shook his head at the male’s comment, smile playing at the corner of his lips as a waitress came with their menus. Kibum demanded that they order the pizza that was on the specials today; Kyuhyun argued that they could have pizza any other time at home, Donghae and Hana watched with amusement as the two locked eyes, their stubbornness refusing to make them back down.

 

“Should we tell them that we’d like to have the pizza?” he whispered into his daughter’s ear, causing her to nod and giggle.

 

“We don’t mind having the pizza, Kyuhyun.” Donghae carefully told him, phrasing it so that it didn’t undermine the male in front of his already rebellious nephew.

 

Kyuhyun nodded, a sigh leaving him as Kibum smiled over at Donghae.

 

“Told you he’s just like us,” Kibum stated, and Donghae chuckled at the murderous look that Kyuhyun sent the boy.

 

“Do you have to repeat everything we speak about?!” Kyuhyun snarled as he yanked the menu away from Kibum, but gently accepted Donghae’s and Hana’s before handing them back to waitress who had returned.

 

“I haven’t repeated _everything_ , uncle.” Kibum rolled his eyes and suddenly screeched in pain as Donghae reached over to quickly catch Hana’s glass of water that would’ve fell due to the table suddenly shaking.

 

“What were you saying about me not hurting you?” Kyuhyun lightly asked as he turned his attention to Donghae and Hana who had been silently watching the whole thing.

 

After getting their drink orders, Kyuhyun sent the waitress away with their orders, and changed the topic so that Donghae and Hana were included this time, whilst Kibum sulked in his chair as they waited for their food.

 

Hana did most of the talking, asking Kyuhyun questions about the new game he was currently testing, where he lived – which Donghae told her she was being too nosey at that, but Kyuhyun still answered and described his apartment that he lived in by himself.

 

When Hana began to ramble, Donghae took control and steered the conversation back on track, which he found himself being attacked by questions from Kyuhyun.

 

“Is it too forward of me to ask about Hana’s mother?” Kyuhyun asked him, and while Donghae’s initial reaction was to say yes and not mention her again, he told himself to stop acting immature and share a part of his life with Kyuhyun, since that’s all the male has done in return.

 

So Donghae told him that he had custody over Hana whilst her mother tried to find a job and a home of her own. He then, after a reassured glance at Hana to see her and Kibum chatting, told Kyuhyun that he was in the middle of divorcing her. He didn’t share why he was divorcing her, and Kyuhyun didn’t ask, just sending him an apologetic look.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t-” Kyuhyun began to apologise and Donghae cut him off.

 

“-know, which is why I told you. It’s about time I shared something about myself.” Donghae smiled at him, and the waitress arrived with their special thin crusted pizza of the day.

 

Donghae waved Kyuhyun’s hands away as he served the food, taking a moment to tease Kibum with his plate until he whined at Kyuhyun to tell him to stop it.

 

Kyuhyun half-heartedly told him off, and gave him an approved nod at his teasing.

 

Hana, on the other hand, slapped his arm and told him to stop being horrible to Kibum otherwise she’d tell Kyuhyun a secret.

 

“A secret?” Donghae pondered as he took a bite of his slice.

 

Hana nodded, eyes set on Kyuhyun who was eating his food.

 

“You like Kyuhyun-shi,” she proudly admitted, and both Donghae and Kyuhyun shared the same instantaneous reaction of choking on their food.

 

“Hana!” Donghae exclaimed over Kibum’s laughter once he had stopped choking.

 

“It’s true!” she argued, little hands clenched tightly around the knife and fork for children. “You told me that you were ‘warming to him’; doesn’t that mean you like him?”

 

“Hana, daddy meant-” Donghae hurried to explain, not daring to look over at Kyuhyun, but he could see the male was blushing whilst taking a sip of his water.

 

“You right, because that’s what my uncle said, just before he dated Siwon-shi!” Kibum enthusiastically agreed.

 

Kyuhyun’s spray of water shocked Donghae, just as much as Kibum’s words had.

 

He watched Kyuhyun frantically clean up the mess he just created, whilst ignoring the twins sounds of disgusted noises coming from Hana and Kibum.

 

“Kibum, that’s my business to share, not yours to tell.” Kyuhyun sternly told him as he cleaned.

 

“But I heard Donghae-shi tell you about Hana’s mother, so why not tell him about your boyfriend?” Kibum asked him, face scrunched up with bemusement.

 

Kyuhyun looked completely frazzled and surprised at his nephew’s reply as he dumbly muttered, “Ex-boyfriend.”

 

“What’s a boyfriend?” Hana cutely asked Donghae, and it was now Donghae’s turn to be at a loss for words.

 

“Someone who you’re dating and maybe love,” Kibum explained to her with a helpful smile.

 

“So mummy was your boyfriend?” she asked him, and Donghae rapidly shook his head, while Kyuhyun groaned and shoved Kibum with a frustrated glare.

 

“No-no sweetie, mummy was my girlfriend – because she is a girl, but then I married her, so she became my wife.” Donghae explained slowly, and Hana nodded slowly to show she understood him. “A boyfriend is what I would’ve been called – because I’m a boy,” he added.

 

Hana frowned and pointed at Kyuhyun. “So would he be a boyfriend to Siwon-shi, since he’s a boy?”

 

Donghae glanced at Kyuhyun who was reluctantly nodding. Hana frowned harder.

 

“How can you both be boyfriends when you’re both boys?” she innocently asked, and Donghae felt apologetic at seeing the flinch that Kyuhyun made, and Kibum was only starting to look remorseful as he watched his uncle struggle to explain his sexuality to his five-year-old daughter.

 

Kyuhyun smiled at her, but glanced at him for help at how he should phrase it. Donghae took Hana’s hands into his own, and she stared at him with a little tilt to her head as she waited for him to explain.

 

“Hana, Kyuhyun was a boyfriend to Siwon-shi, because he loved him.” A glance at Kyuhyun to make sure he was allowed to say that, and got a stiff nod as an answer. “But what you need to understand, Hana, is that it doesn’t matter if the person you love is a boy or a girl, you’re allowed to love or like whomever you want.” Donghae firmly told her, and she nodded, her frown disappearing as smile bloomed over her face.

 

“So boys can like boys, and girls are allowed to like girls?” she asked, and Donghae nodded with a smile of his own.

 

“You can like whoever you want, be it a boy or a girl.” Donghae agreed.

 

“Ah, I get it now!” she grinned at him, and smiled brightly at Kyuhyun’s frozen form that was staring at him, even Kibum was staring at Donghae, but his expression was awed.

 

As Hana began to eat her food, Kibum whispered, “daebak,” before resuming eating his own food.

 

Donghae sighed heavily, and leaned back into his seat, his left hand resting on the back of Hana’s chair.

 

“Sorry about that, Kyuhyun.” He apologised, and it snapped Kyuhyun from his frozen, staring state.

 

“If anybody should be apologising, it’s him,” Kyuhyun nodded at Kibum’s direction, and the little boy kept his eyes down on his plate as he ate.

 

“Kids will be kids.” Donghae laughed and moved so that he was sitting properly at the table again. “No one was offended, so let’s move past it.” He smiled at Kyuhyun, and raised his pizza slice.

 

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and raised his own pizza slice at Donghae before eating it.

 

The rest of the meal progressed in a comfortable silence, allowing Donghae to muse over what he’d learnt about Kyuhyun. He had been initially surprised, but it didn’t bother him.

 

He would look like a hypocrite if it did.

 

If anything it made Donghae feel more comfortable around the younger male, since he was learning more about him, making the awkwardness that sometimes creeped between them when the kids were occupied with each other, disappear.

 

“Can we have ice cream now?” Hana asked, tugging on his shirt with an adorable expression on her face.

 

“Do they have ice cream here?” Donghae asked Kyuhyun as he thought back to what he saw in the menu.

 

“Not the kind these two will enjoy,” Kyuhyun told him as he signalled to the waitress over. “But I know a place that does,” he finished with a smile, and Hana repeatedly hit Donghae’s arm at hearing the news, making him wince with every hit.

 

Donghae and Kyuhyun argued over the bill, both being adamant to pay it all, and in the end – due to Kibum’s and Hana’s impatient whines – begrudgingly split the bill between them.

 

“I’m the hyung; you should be delighted at me offering to pay for the meal!” Donghae complained as they left the restaurant, keeping an eye on Kibum and Hana who were walking hand-in-hand in front of them.

 

“It was me who asked you here, so it would’ve made sense for me to pay for it.” Kyuhyun shot back.

 

Kyuhyun called for Kibum to go to his car, and Hana toddled along with him while Donghae brooded beside Kyuhyun.

 

Kyuhyun glanced at him, and Donghae played up his sulk. The younger male sighed and shook his head at him.

 

“You’re just like them,” Kyuhyun told him, and Donghae shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, fine! You can buy the ice cream for us.”

 

“You make it sound like the choice is yours to give.” Donghae scoffed as they approached Kyuhyun’s car.

 

“We can make this a battle, Hae. A battle you’ll lose, since you’ve seen how stubborn I can get.” Kyuhyun smirked at him as he unlocked the car doors, and Donghae moved to secure and adjust Hana into the backseat since she didn’t have a raised seat.

 

“Hae?” Donghae questioned as Kyuhyun watched him from the other side.

 

Kyuhyun shrugged. “Friends can give each other a nickname can’t they?”

 

“What’s your nickname for Kyuhyun-shi?” Hana asked him, and he smirked wickedly at the male.

 

“Maknae,” he told her, and Kyuhyun spluttered at the nickname. “Because out of all my friends, he’s the youngest,” he explained to her when she stared blankly at him.

 

Kibum laughed, mimicking Donghae’s new nickname for his uncle, and Kyuhyun replied by slamming the door shut on all three of them, making them laugh loudly at the childish action.

 

“You suck at giving nicknames.” Donghae heard the male growl, and it only made him laugh harder.

 

It felt nice to laugh like this again.

 

 

 

 

Kyuhyun’s phone buzzed, drawing him from the computer glitch that was playing on his monitor. As he finished writing down his notes on the game glitch of having the character becoming stuck in an object, his free hand reached out to read the text message.

 

 

_Hana’s staying at Yeon Hee’s tonight, fancy bringing some beers and having a manly catch up?_

 

 

Over the past few months, they had become really close friends, and Donghae often invited Kyuhyun and Kibum over to his place for dinner, or to play a game that Kyuhyun needed a second opinion on.

 

But Kyuhyun hadn’t seen Donghae for the past few weeks due to both of them being busy with work.

 

Kyuhyun paused, thinking if he was on babysitting duty tonight or not, before hitting the reply button. Kyuhyun typed back a response to Donghae and waited for the male’s response.

 

His character on the screen finally released itself from the glitch, and Kyuhyun taped the ‘P’ button on his keyboard to pause the game as his phone buzzed again.

 

 

_You know that I can’t drink wine well!_

 

 

Kyuhyun sniggered to himself, imaging the male whine it, because it’s true.

 

 

_I’ll bring a nice one for you. I’ll be over for seven._

 

 

Kyuhyun watched his message send, and smiled as his phone notified him that it was sent. He’d missed the male over the past few weeks. He had gotten used to meeting the male and Hana at the school gates every day, and going to the park for an hour with the kids so that they could catch up.

 

These past few weeks without having much contact with each other made him feel lonely as he missed the way that Hana would giggle and torment her father to do something with her, or the way that Kibum would suddenly cling to Donghae if he mentioned his boss, which resulted in Kyuhyun mocking his nephew and causing them to bicker while Donghae and Hana laughed at them.

 

Donghae’s reply buzzed through, and Kyuhyun smiled as he read it.

 

 

_Such a disrespectful maknae, are you trying to get me drunk?_

_See you at seven!_

 

 

“I don’t have to try to get you drunk; you’re a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.” Kyuhyun muttered to himself as he flicked through his messages, all mostly from Donghae.

 

It was wrong for Kyuhyun to like Donghae, especially when the male was straight, but Kyuhyun couldn’t help being attracted to him.

 

When he met him at his sister’s studio all of those months ago, he’d thought he was familiar, but also cute as he tried to convince Kibum that his job was cool. So he started to flirt with him a little, enjoying it when Donghae teased him back, until his nephew called him out on his flirting and made Donghae awkward towards him.

 

That alerted Kyuhyun that he may be barking up at the wrong tree.

 

Nevertheless, he learned Donghae’s name and spent the next few weeks wondering about him. It was pure luck that he saw Donghae that day at the school, and it reminded his brain that he _had_ seen the male before.

 

But then Kyuhyun noticed Hana, and tried not to feel too let down that the male was married or with someone.

 

He was still curious enough about the male to put his attraction aside to try and befriend him, along with Kibum’s help when he learned that Kyuhyun had a small crush on Donghae.

 

That was something that Kyuhyun wouldn’t be doing again. Kibum caused him more panic about Donghae learning about his crush and preference, that when Kibum did reveal his past relationship with Siwon, he had been too stunned to react.

 

He didn’t think that Donghae was the type to look down on someone for which gender they like, and Donghae proved Kyuhyun right when he explained to Hana about liking people of the same sex.

 

It had touched Kyuhyun to see Donghae explain it that way, and it also made him become more hooked on the male that he couldn’t have.

 

 

 

 

“How has work been?” Donghae shouted from his kitchen, and Kyuhyun leaned forward from where he was sitting on the sofa to peak through the doorway.

 

“Making me question if they do work there due to all the glitches and bugs I’ve been seeing!” Kyuhyun shouted back, catching a glimpse of Donghae as he moved around the room. “Do we really need plates just to eat the pizza? I mean, can’t we just share the box?” he added as he heard the clattering of plates.

 

Donghae poked his head out with a ‘oh’ expression, and disappeared to put the plates back. Kyuhyun shook his head at the male’s lack of thought and reached over to pour himself a glass of wine, and another with a tiny amount for Donghae.

 

“I can’t believe you actually brought the wine,” Donghae huffed as he entered the room with the box of takeout pizza in his hands.

 

“I’m a man of my word, Hae.” Kyuhyun winked teasingly as he held their glasses, and the male dropped down beside him with an exaggerated sigh.

 

Donghae nodded at the small table that had a drawing for Kyuhyun by Hana lying on it, and Kyuhyun placed one of the wine glasses onto the wooden floor so that he could put the drawing safely on the floor beside the sofa. 

 

“I even bought us this pizza and you repay me by forcing wine down my throat,” Donghae continued to complain, his tone light and playful as he grabbed a slice of pizza for himself and Kyuhyun.

 

“I don’t see my hand forcing it down your neck,” Kyuhyun shot back as he accepted the slice, and handed the glass he still held towards Donghae, who stared at it like it was poison.

 

“No, but your starting the build up to it, now,” Donghae retorted as he took the glass from him.

 

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and took a bite of the pizza. “It’s not bitter tasting as the previous ones I’ve had you try,” he reassured the male once he chewed and swallowed.

 

Donghae took a curious sniff, and hummed as he considered the tiny amount. “I’d still prefer my beer, at least with that I have a choice of having it light.” Donghae stubbornly continued to complain, but took a sip of the wine anyway.

 

Kyuhyun reached down for his own glass and took a sip, studying the male’s face for any sign of distaste.

 

“Well?” He questioned as Donghae remained silent.

 

“I think I’ll make this tiny amount last me the whole night,” Donghae told him before taking a huge bite of his pizza.

 

“Lightweight,” Kyuhyun tutted as he turned his attention to the TV show that was playing.

 

As they lapsed into a comfortable silence whilst they ate, Kyuhyun couldn’t take it any longer and sniggered, “I brought you some beers. I left them in your entrance way.”

 

He got a smack to the back of his head for his deceit.

 

 

 

 

“Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you the beer,” Kyuhyun commented as he eyed the way the male was starting to become a lot more talkative and relaxed.

 

He’d been at Donghae’s for a few hours now, and was already halfway through the bottle of wine he brought for them both. He was feeling a little warm; his body letting him know that the alcohol was staring to affect him a little, but not a huge amount.

 

He was sober, which is more than could be said for Donghae.

 

Donghae had three bottles of the light beer, and was just now draining the wine Kyuhyun had poured for him at the beginning of the night.

 

He tensed when Donghae flung an arm around his shoulders, leaning in close to giggle, “I told you not to get me drunk, little maknae.”

 

Kyuhyun shot him a look. “Little?” he questioned whilst gesturing to his long legs and Donghae’s slightly shorter ones.

 

“Details, details,” Donghae waved the empty wine glass dismissively, causing Kyuhyun to chuckle.

 

“I want to know more details about you, maknae!” Donghae sung his nickname in an aegyo way, causing Kyuhyun’s heart to lurch, and his cheeks to go hot at the rare act.

 

“What more could you want to know about me?” Kyuhyun teased lightly, trying to remove Donghae’s tightening arm from around him, as it became harder for Kyuhyun to ignore the nervous fluttering in his stomach that was brought on by Donghae’s close proximity and question.

 

“We never really speak about you and your past relationships,” Donghae softly told him, and Kyuhyun couldn’t move as he met Donghae’s tender expression.

 

“They’re in the past, hyung. So they don’t really matter now.” Kyuhyun attempted to close the subject, but Donghae was having none of it.

 

“I told you about Yeon Hee cheating on me; I also told you that she was only the second girl I’d been with.” Donghae reminded him of the conversation they had months ago, and Kyuhyun exhaled a deep breath, before taking a much needed drink from his wine glass that he was tightly holding.

 

“I really don’t see how my past relationships can be interesting to you,” Kyuhyun told him, all too aware of the way Donghae’s fingers were tapping against his collarbone.

 

“Would it be horrible of me to be blunt for the next few minutes?” Donghae asked him as he pressed the empty glass against his own cheek, elbow resting on the knee he’d brought up so that his legs were off the floor.

 

Kyuhyun’s mind screamed “yes!” but his mouth answered, “No.”

 

“What attracts you to a guy?” Donghae curiously asked him, and Kyuhyun quickly took another sip of his wine, needing more alcohol in his system to help mask the feelings he had for the male.

 

“Their smile,” Kyuhyun answered, knowing that it was vague sounding, but also safe enough answer.

 

“And...?”

 

“A gentle personality that will allow me to look after them,” he answered as he took a glance at his wine to see how much he had left.  

 

He didn’t like how little he had remaining in his glass, and moved to refill it, but Donghae’s hand flattened against his collarbone, holding him to the sofa and preventing him from doing it.

 

“You still have some left,” Donghae scolded him for moving, and Kyuhyun stared at Donghae’s hand that remained pressing against him.

 

“Where are these questions coming from?” Kyuhyun asked him, gaze moving from Donghae’s hand to meet his eyes.

 

Kyuhyun almost jumped out of his skin when Donghae’s face came towards his own.

 

“Wait!” Kyuhyun yelped whilst leaning back a bit, his free hand pressing against Donghae’s chest, stopping him from coming closer.

 

Donghae’s brown eyes were glazed from the alcohol, and from something that made Kyuhyun’s heart leap with hope.

 

“You’re drunk.” Kyuhyun breathlessly stated. His body tensing as Donghae shifted slightly.

 

“I’m curious,” Donghae admitted in a soft, low tone.

 

Kyuhyun felt like whimpering from the choice he was going to have to make. He wanted to kiss Donghae - has done for months - but he knew that this was just an experiment for him, something to say he’s tried.

 

If Kyuhyun agreed to indulge Donghae’s curiosity, he’d only be hurting himself afterwards.

 

But it may help him lose the craving he has for the male.

 

Before he could change his mind, Kyuhyun grabbed Donghae’s glass and placed them both onto the floor. He hadn’t even straightened himself properly when Donghae’s hands clasped his jaw and gently brought their lips together.

 

The initial shock of Kyuhyun’s lips making contact with Donghae’s made him jerk away at first, but when Donghae made a noise of protest, Kyuhyun’s hands shot out to make themselves at home in Donghae’s soft, brown locks.

 

Kyuhyun took control of the slow kiss, moving his lips lightly, teasingly against Donghae’s, pulling back a tiny fraction just to see how Donghae would react, sighing contently when Donghae hurried to follow him.

 

Donghae’s arms moved to wrap around the back of his neck, pulling Kyuhyun closer to him, groaning with annoyance when his knees got in the way, and he had to part away from Kyuhyun.

 

Kyuhyun expected Donghae to come crashing back to earth as soon as they parted, but he surprised Kyuhyun by dropping his legs down and pulling Kyuhyun back to him for another kiss.

 

This time Kyuhyun did fight him, and gently put some distance between them.

 

“If this is what you still want when you’re sober, then I’ll be more than happy to continue, but for now it ends here.” Kyuhyun clearly spoke, making sure that Donghae understood him, and his hint that he has feelings for the male.

 

“When I’m sober,” Donghae repeated, voice becoming thick and slurring just a little.

 

Kyuhyun nodded. “I’ll help you clean up before I go,” Kyuhyun told him as Donghae let go of him, and he bent down to retrieve the wine glasses.

 

“You can’t go, silly.” Donghae giggled, repeating the word ‘silly’ as Kyuhyun stopped just outside the kitchen door.

 

“Why not?” He asked the male, wincing when Donghae spun to look at him which made him tip slightly as he tried to maintain his balance due to sudden change of position.

 

“You’ve drank half a bottle of wine! You’ll be over the limit!” Donghae wagged a finger at him, and Kyuhyun sighed as he turned to go into the kitchen, cursing himself as Donghae’s slurred words spoke sense.

 

When Kyuhyun came back to the living room, he found Donghae struggling to stay awake.

 

“Come on, hyung.” Kyuhyun whispered as he threw Donghae’s arm over his shoulders so that he could support him as he lifted the male off the sofa, and directed him towards his bedroom.

 

“You’re staying, right?” Donghae slurred as Kyuhyun sat him on the edge of his bed.

 

“I’m staying,” he confirmed. “Time for you to sleep the alcohol off,” he continued to whisper as Donghae slowly and sloppily moved himself onto the other side of the bed.

 

Donghae let out a tired moan as his head hit the pillow, and his hand patted the free pillow next to him.

 

“Stay with me,” Donghae mumbled sleepily, and Kyuhyun sighed heavily.

 

“Give me five minutes,” he told the male, and got a disgruntled noise in response as he left the male to clean up and turn things off in the living room.

 

When Kyuhyun came back to Donghae’s bedroom, he shook his head as the male lay under the covers, whilst being on his back and holding his eyes open.

 

“You’re so stubborn,” Kyuhyun chuckled quietly as he got underneath the covers, taking care to leave a suitable amount of space between him and Donghae.

 

“Shut up,” the male murmured as he rolled onto his side so that he was facing Kyuhyun, his eyes already closed.

 

Kyuhyun watched Donghae’s body relax as sleep claimed him, and he snuggled his face deeper into the pillow, inhaling Donghae’s scent.

 

He fell asleep to the sound of Donghae breathing softly.

 

 

 

 

An uncomfortable pain in Donghae’s stomach woke him, and he groaned as he felt the pressing need to get to toilet force him awake.

 

His bedroom blind was still open, allowing the sunrays to hit him in the face, and causing him to groan again as they stung his sleepy eyes.

 

A soft, quiet snort came from behind him, and Donghae froze as he became aware of the presence pressing close to his back. Donghae lifted the bed cover to glance down at the arm that was wrapped snugly over his waist, holding him close the person sleeping behind him.

 

Donghae recognised the little scars on the hand and held his breath as he turned slowly to look at Kyuhyun’s sleeping face.

 

He couldn’t move far. The male was holding him tightly, and his face was resting close to the back of his nape, his warm breath causing little tickles to run down Donghae’s spine.

 

“Kyuhyun?” Donghae whispered his name dumbly, and gained no response from the sleeping male.

 

Donghae’s bladder delivered another painful jab, reminding him that he needed to get to the toilet, fast.

 

Donghae moved slowly as he lifted Kyuhyun’s arm from off his waist, and rolled as carefully as he could without disturbing the male to the edge of his bed.

 

He glanced at Kyuhyun, his feet light as he hurried around his bed to get to the bathroom to relieve himself, temporarily freezing as another snort came from Kyuhyun as he moved slightly in his sleep.

 

Once he’d emptied his bladder and washed his hands, Donghae’s mind began to backtrack to last night whilst he brushed his teeth.

 

He already had a slight headache that would only get stronger as the day wore on if Donghae didn’t take any pain relief for his hangover.

 

Donghae sighed miserably around his toothbrush, shaking his head for being such a lightweight.

 

What did he do last night? Donghae waited for his sluggish mind to help him out, and he began to recount some parts of the night.

 

He remembers ringing Hana to say goodnight to her at the very beginning just after Kyuhyun had came, and proceeded to be brushed aside when she demanded to speak to Kyuhyun for a little while.

 

He remembers Kyuhyun tricking him about only bringing wine, and that he had shoved Kyuhyun’s last slice of pizza into the male’s mouth as payback.

 

He remembers listening to Kyuhyun poking fun at the drama that they had randomly flicked to, and laughing as the male copied some of the dialogue.

 

Donghae’s hand began to slow as he remembers downing his third bottle quicker than he normally would, and drinking the wine he’d left from earlier.

 

He remembers Kyuhyun commenting about something, and Donghae putting his arm around the younger male.

 

He remembers feeling the male’s sharp collarbone protruding through the thin top beneath his fingers; he remembers wondering what it would be like to trace his fingers without the clothing barrier.

 

Donghae spat into the sink, his toothbrush clattering into it as he tightly gripped the sides of the basin.

 

He remembers the buzzing feeling encouraging him to ask Kyuhyun something, but changed his mind at that last second and ended up asking something else. He remembers waiting and hoping for another opening to ask the question that has been bugging him for months, and when Kyuhyun commented about a gentle personality and began to move away from him, Donghae had reacted without really thinking.

 

He can still feel the way Kyuhyun felt as he pressed him into the back of the sofa, preventing him from getting another drink. He remembers Kyuhyun asking him a question, but all Donghae could really focus on was the Kyuhyun’s slightly redden lips that was caused from the sip of wine he’d just taken beforehand.

 

Heart racing, mind leaving him, Donghae remembers moving to kiss him and being stopped by Kyuhyun’s hand.

 

“Oh god,” Donghae moaned as he dropped to his knees, hands falling to hold him up as he banged his head against the curve of the basin.

 

He kissed Kyuhyun last night.

 

Donghae banged his head again, this time harder, before shoving himself away and gripping his bed tousled hair.

 

He kissed his friend. He kissed Cho Kyuhyun.

 

“Fuck,” Donghae whispered to himself, and looked up at the bathroom ceiling. “That wasn’t meant to happen.”

 

The sound of Kyuhyun clearing his throat scared him, and at seeing the male standing outside the open bathroom doorway, Donghae scrambled to his feet, explanation struggling to make sense in his head as he stumbled to follow Kyuhyun’s disappearing form.

 

“I have a meeting at lunch, so I’m heading home now!” the male called, his long legs putting him further away from Donghae as he tried to force away the wave of sickness that came from getting up too quickly in order to follow him.

 

“Wait!” he weakly called as he gripped the living room wall to stabilise him, but when Kyuhyun turned to look back at him, Donghae had to wave him away as he rushed to the bathroom to be sick.

 

A part of him hoped that Kyuhyun would come to see if he was okay. But he didn’t. The sound of his front door beeping shut alerted him to Kyuhyun’s departure, and Donghae miserably threw up his stomach contents alone.

 

At least he had his panicking thoughts to keep him company.

 

 

 

 

Kyuhyun punched his steering wheel, glaring up at Donghae’s apartment building.

 

It looked like the male was regretting his actions from last night, and while Kyuhyun should have expected it, it still hurt to hear Donghae say what he heard.

 

Ignoring the stinging in his chest and eyes, Kyuhyun started up his car and left the male’s home.

 

Their kiss last night hadn’t dulled his feelings towards the male, but the punch of Donghae’s rejection did.

 

 

 

“I miss Kyuhyun,” Hana mumbled as they walked past the school gates, her wave to Kibum’s mother half-hearted as she dragged her feet.

 

“I know, sweetie.” Donghae sighed as he swung their joined hands, “but he can’t help it if he’s busy with work.”

 

It’s been nearly a week since they shared a kiss, and Donghae hadn’t seen the male once during it.

 

He’s texted the male, only to get a short reply hours later explaining that he was busy.

 

Donghae was feeling at a loss about the whole thing. Kyuhyun was acting distant, Hana was missing him, Kibum refused to look at Donghae, and Donghae felt like screaming.

 

For a whole week, the memory of that night refused to leave Donghae’s thoughts, and since Kyuhyun was cutting off any attempt of Donghae trying to hold a conversation with him, it only drove his frustration higher. 

 

“Do you miss him?” Hana asked him as he fastened her into the car seat.

 

“Of course I miss him,” he smiled at her, and kissed her forehead before moving away and shutting the car door.

 

“Then why can’t we go see him?” she asked as he got into the driver’s seat and started the car.

 

“Kyuhyun’s busy with work, remember?” he reminded her, and her little sad sigh caused him to grip his steering wheel tightly.

 

He promised to give her a routine and he’s cocked it up. She’s become attached to Kyuhyun, and it hurt to see her sad about not seeing him often as she used too.

 

That made two of them.

 

As they drove in silence, they were almost home when Hana asked, “Do you like Kyuhyun?”

 

“Of course I do, baby. He’s our friend.” He automatically told her as he indicated to switch lanes.

 

“I mean, do you like him as a boyfriend?”

 

Horns blared as Donghae swerved slightly at the question, and Hana squealed as he fought to regain control of the car and his rapid heartbeat.

 

“Why do you ask that?” he shakily asked, glancing in the mirror to look at her thoughtful expression.

 

She smiled sweetly at him, making her eyes crinkle in a little eye smile of their own.

 

“Because you used to look really happy when he was around, just like how you used to with mummy. But now you look sad whenever Kyuhyun doesn’t answer your phone calls, just like how mummy did, and it would make you sad too.” She innocently told him, and her observation over him stunned him to silence.

 

“Didn’t you say it was okay for boys or girls to love each other?” Hana continued, smile diminishing a bit as she frowned.

 

“I-I did.” Donghae softly answered her, his hands shaking slightly.

 

“Then why are you sad about liking Kyuhyun?” she prodded, and Donghae felt like crying at how his daughter had been reading him over the past week.

 

He felt like crying because the debate that has been raging in his mind for the past few months was finally being spoken out loud, and he had his five-year-old daughter to thank for that.

 

The debate of whether or not to tell Kyuhyun that he had a crush on him, or to keep it a secret and continue to live his life by burying the feelings he had developed for the younger male.

 

But then Donghae had to be stupid and get himself drunk, and make a pass at Kyuhyun.

 

A pass he regretted, because he never wanted to do something like that whilst being under the influence of alcohol. He wanted it to be done whilst he was sober, so that Kyuhyun wouldn’t put it down to him being drunk.

 

He regretted doing it drunk, but he didn’t regret kissing Kyuhyun, and Donghae feared that Kyuhyun thought he regretted it altogether.   

 

“Daddy?” Hana asked him softly, and he wiped away the beginnings of tears from his eyes.

 

“Shall we go to Eunhyuk’s?” he brightly asked her, and switched lanes again that would lead him to his best friend’s home.

 

 

 

 

“Why didn’t you tell him?” Eunhyuk asked him, and Donghae sighed as he accepted the glass of water from the male.

 

“It felt too sudden,” he admitted as Eunhyuk sat across him on the other side of the small kitchen table.

 

He heard Hana squeal, “Choco!” and smiled as he heard the little dog bark as they played in Eunhyuk’s living room.

 

“As in - it was too sudden because you’re in a middle of a divorce or because he’s a guy and you’ve only ever been with girls?” Eunhyuk asked him bluntly, causing to Donghae smile.

 

This is why he came to Eunhyuk. He could trust the male to pull his thoughts from his head, and put them onto the table in an easy, forward manner.

 

“Both.” Donghae answered as his idly moved the glass backward and forward.

 

“And how come I’m only hearing about this now, when I should’ve heard about it months ago?” Eunhyuk demanded with a hurtful expression.

 

“Because even I didn’t know how to react to my feelings towards Kyuhyun. I couldn’t stop the thoughts about my feelings only being rebound feelings, or how to tell you that I suddenly like this guy who I’ve just met.” Donghae told him in a rush, the distressed feeling he’s had for months about the whole thing leaking into his voice.

 

“It was too sudden and too bizarre for me to even accept! I mean, I’ve never been attracted to guys, so why all of a sudden am I attracted to this guy that constantly argues with his seven-year-old nephew about the most ridiculous things, and has interests in things that I was never interested before, but I am now because of him?” Donghae continued to babble, hands waving all over the place as he explained.

 

“It was too sudden, and when I learned that he’s had relationships with guys in the past, it only intensified my feelings and made me all the more confused as to why I had them in the first place!” Donghae let out a huge exhale, and took a calming sip of water.

 

“Haven’t you ever considered that this change is something that you may need?” Eunhyuk curiously stated with his chin resting in his hands as his elbows rested on top of the table.

 

Donghae raised an eyebrow for him to go on, and Eunhyuk shrugged his shoulders lightly.

 

“You’ve always had this fantasy of living the perfect life with a wife and children, and now that you’ve done it and lived it, the reality didn’t live up to your fantasy,” Eunhyuk paused as Donghae determinedly withheld the wince that was brought on by Eunhyuk’s honest words, but nodded for him to continue.

 

“Maybe this change is the chance of experiencing something new. Something that you haven’t obsessed with all your life,” Eunhyuk finished softly.

 

“So, Kyuhyun could be the fresh start to this new chapter in my life?” Donghae mused, and Eunhyuk nodded.

 

“I mean, once you’re ready to make and accept that choice, since you don’t have to rush towards it,” Eunhyuk added as an afterthought.

 

“I think I need to take this to the man in question.” Donghae sighed and rose from his chair. “Will you watch Hana for me?” he asked, and Eunhyuk rolled his eyes at him.

 

“You don’t even need to ask me that,” he chided Donghae, and waved him away with an encouraging, gummy smile.

 

 

 

 

Any other time, experiencing a glitch would just make him slightly annoyed, but seeing the texture bug that was causing his screen to go blurry with colours, had Kyuhyun seeing red.

 

“Do any of them know how to use codes?!” He snarled as he shut down the computer and stormed away from it to look for his phone to give the software guys a lecture on how to do their goddamn job.

 

Fortunately, they were saved from dealing with his anger as his doorbell rang. Flinging his phone back onto his bed, Kyuhyun stalked through his apartment to see who it was.

 

He took one look at the intercom screen, and froze at seeing Donghae standing outside his door.

 

Donghae rang the bell again and started to knock his door, his facial expression showing anxiety, and hope?

 

Kyuhyun steeled himself as he moved to unlock the door, and held it open for the older male.

 

“Kyuhyun, before you can-” Donghae quickly spoke, hand holding the door in case he were to shut it, but Kyuhyun left him and went back into his apartment.

 

“Don’t just stand there, come in and close the door!” He called, and listened as Donghae hurriedly came in and shut the door.

 

Kyuhyun led him into the open plan kitchen and began to make himself a drink of coffee, getting a glass for Donghae in the process.

 

“Orange juice?” he asked as the male uncertainly edged into the kitchen area.

 

Donghae nodded and watched him make their drinks.

 

“You are allowed to sit,” Kyuhyun chuckled as the male remained standing.

 

“How have you been?” Donghae asked him as he quietly pulled a stool from the breakfast bar that acted as a wall for the living room and the kitchen.

 

“I’ve been fine. What about you?” Kyuhyun replied without giving the question a second thought, and brought their drinks over to the breakfast bar.

 

Donghae was biting his lower lip, an act that signalled the male was worrying or stressing over something.

 

Kyuhyun shook his head. He wasn’t meant to be too concerned about the male anymore.

 

“No, not really,” Donghae admitted, and Kyuhyun’s previous thought of not being concerned vanished as thoughts of something bad happening to Hana rushed through his mind.

 

“Is Hana okay?” Kyuhyun immediately asked, and Donghae’s unreadable stare did nothing to comfort him.

 

“Hana’s fine. It’s us two that isn’t.” Donghae told him, and Kyuhyun’s emotions shifted gears from being worried, to being purposely indifferent.

 

“What gave you that impression?” Kyuhyun asked as he sat down on the stool beside Donghae’s, turning so that he could face the male.

 

“Okay, we can go about this the long way, or the short way.” Donghae told him, his eyes hardening at hearing Kyuhyun’s change within his tone.

 

Kyuhyun gave him an amused look. “Enlighten me, hyung.”

 

“You never gave me the chance to explain what I said to myself in the bathroom.”

 

Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow at the male’s choice of direction, and shoved the still lingering feeling of rejection away.

 

“I think it was pretty obvious that you regretted your actions, so why would I stay to hear an excuse?” Kyuhyun mused, his tone bitter.

 

“Because you would’ve found out that I did regret one thing, and that thing wasn’t kissing you.” Donghae clearly and firmly told him, staring at him with such determination and honesty, that Kyuhyun lost his previous bitterness to gape at him.

 

“What?” Kyuhyun demanded. His hands were itching to grasp the male as the hope that never left him flared up again.

 

Donghae’s laugh sounded like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “I don’t regret kissing you; I just regret that I did it whilst I was drunk instead of being sober.”

 

Kyuhyun’s mind hungrily accepted the male’s confession, and he grasped the male’s arms tightly.

 

“Please tell me you’ve thought this through,” he weakly, desperately whispered.

 

Donghae let out a long sigh as he grasped Kyuhyun’s hands and held them tightly, eyes boring into Kyuhyun’s as he spoke, “You came into my life just as it had been upturned, and somewhere along the way, you upturned it again. But this time, I don’t mind the change.”

 

Donghae gently pulled Kyuhyun off his stool and shuffled the one he had been sitting on back so that he could stand up as well. Kyuhyun’s racing heartbeat was in his ears, his throat; it was everywhere as he waited for Donghae to finish.

 

Donghae smiled and let go of his hands so that he could wrap them around Kyuhyun’s neck, and Kyuhyun slowly, hesitantly placed his onto the male’s hips.

 

“In fact, I’m relieved and certainly ready for it.” Donghae finished, and Kyuhyun remained unmoving as he stared at the male that he thought had rejected him.

 

How wrong could’ve he been?

 

“What about Hana?” Kyuhyun whispered, his hands shaking – just like how Donghae’s were at the back of his nape – as he brought himself closer to the male’s body.

 

“Hana adores you; she has done the moment you popped up in front of her.” Donghae sounded awed as he shared that with Kyuhyun, and Kyuhyun didn’t stop his smile from forming.

 

“Then it’s a good thing that I adore her as well,” Kyuhyun shared back, and Donghae’s body relaxed as his face turned touched and loving.

 

“Cho Kyuhyun, can I kiss you now?” Donghae asked breathlessly, already tugging him closer.

 

Kyuhyun answered him by kissing him first, holding the male tightly to his body as they kissed.

 

Kyuhyun thought he would never get the chance to be with Donghae, he was afraid that the male’s straight past and marriage would mean he’d never look at Kyuhyun in that way.

 

But as Kyuhyun held Donghae close to his body, curiously exploring the male’s strong, broad back as Donghae’s fingers clutched the back of his hair almost in a possessive hold, Kyuhyun was thankful to be wrong.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I vaguely remember people mistaking fic Kibum for SJ's Kibum, but it ain't, it's just a random Kibum.....or was it SHINee's Key?


End file.
